Folding booth



C. 1. DE LA FQNTAINE. FOLDING BOOTH.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.8, 1921.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. 1. DE LA FONTAlNE.

FOLDING BOOTH. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1921- 1,407,260, Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

CHARLES J. DE LA ron AINE, or DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGN'OR To TRINITY FOLDING BOOTH company, or sT; LoU s IssoUnI, A conronarron or MISSOURI.

FOLDING BOO H.

1 Application filed January 8,1921. Serial 1%. 435,880.

Be 1t known that I, CHARLES JQDE LA FONTAINE, a citizen of Switzerland, 'resid-' ing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Booths, of which the following is a specifr.

cation. p o 1 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in folding booths,

The object of the. invention is to provide a booth such, as is' used for demonstrating foods and merchandise, which booth may be folded into a compact form for transportation, and which may be readily unfolded and placedin position without the services.

of a skilled mechanic, A further object is to provide a booth structure which will be self sustaining when erected and which will not require the use of nails, screws or other additional fastenings when being unfolded and placed in position for service. Oneof I the particular featuresj of the invention is j 1 the provision of ample spacefor displaying advertising matterand literature and other j 1 wise ornamenting the; booth, whereby it'will be of an attractive and pleasing appearance.

A veryimportant object is to arrange and correlate the parts so that the booth may be expeditiously folded and unfolded and easily handled without the exercise of-un-,

due; strength.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be f hereinafter described to:

gether with other features ofthe invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following spec'ification and by referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which anexample of the invention'is shown, and wherein:

. Fig.1 is ajfront elevation of a booth constructed in accordance with my invention,

, and unfolded in position for use, Fig. 2 is a verticaL sectional view on the line 2+2 of Fig. 1, v

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1,

Fig; dis an enlarged. crss-sectional detail-on the line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig.1. 5 is a folded, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line 6-6 of'Fig. 5. I

a. In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a lower front panel and 10 an upper front above which a are prov ded;

v ing with the strips'19 and "20 respectively. The upper ends of the strips 19? and 20- plan view showing the boothv m. 21, was.

panehf The lower front panel isconiposed of upright 'corner strips 11 connected at V their'bottom' by across rail 12. Atop cross rail 13 extends'between the strips at'the top, of thepanel. the ra1ls12 and 13'. The panel is covered with combination boardsuch as cardboard or the like' in y The strips 11 extend above the top 'ofthepanel 10 and are ,joined'to the lower end of upper strips 11 7 strips 117 are'connected by across rail 16, pa r of inclined supports 17 The upper panel 10 is termi- A center mullion It connects 7 5 o g by' hinges l5placed on the frontof said straps, The upper ends of the' nated some distance above the hinges 15 and is 'preferablyarched asfis} shown in the drawing atfboth its bottom, and top, the I panel is formed of the same material asthe panel 10.

Lower wings or sidei panels?18Larev prolat terfbe1ng braced by the supports 17; This 1 vided at eachside ofithefront panel Y10 and upper wing'orside panels 18' are provided at each side of the panel 10. -,Eachlower panel 18 has an upright front strip 19 and an upright rear strip 20 each terminating at thesame height as the strips 11.- The strips. 19 and 20 are connected at their bot-.

tom by cross rails21 and at the top of each. panelby a cross rail 22 are connected by cross rails 23.. The panels 18 are likewise arched soas to harmonize which isinsubstam' tlally the same horizontal plane asthe cross with the front panel 10' and each'inclu'd'es used for the. lower panels 18. i

a sheetof composition board, which'is also The strips 19 and 19 are hinged to the strips 11 and 11" respectively by hinges 2 1. Hooks 25 provided; on the lower ends of the strips 20"]engage eyesi26 on the upper ends; of the strips 20,'thus preventing the front I panels from falling forward. The side spacesare at such an elevation asto give any person within thebooth an unobstructed view. and a free circulation of airito the booth.

panels are disposed at substantially right an- 'gles tov the front panel s and open spaces are provided between the upper and lower anels; at the front'andsides' of the booth. .hese

The composition panels permit of'the easy ;l10 I sides of the lower panels. 1

to obviate sharp corners. mounted between the str ps 19 and 20 of each V and side sections 28, the sections having their adjoining ends mitered so as to fit. The front sections 2'? have dowel pins 29 entering sockets 30 in the side sections 28. The side sections 28 have notches 31 attheir rear ends receiving the strip 20 and notches 32 at their front mitered end receiving the strips 19; while the sections 27 have notches 33 at their mitered end receiving the front strip 11. The

counter sections rest upon the top cross rails 13 and 22 and overhang the inner and outer he inner corners of the side counter sections'may be rounded Cross bars 3% are side panel and support a shelf 35 which has its end suitably notched as is best shown in Fig. 4;, so as to rest on the cross bars below the counter to form a table to be used'by the person occupyingthebooth.

1 It will be seen that the strips, cross rails,

support, counter sectionsand the shelf may be constructed of wood and this together with V the composition sheets, which as before stated may be heavy cardboard, make for a light and easily handled structure. The booth when erected or unfolded may be easily moved'if desired, and yet is sufficiently substantial to sustain itself when in use. When it is desired to fold the booth the shelf 35 and Y the counter sections 2? and 28 are removed.

It will be noted that the counter sections serve to hold the sides of the booth in fixed relation to the front and prevent the booth from collapsing or spreading when in use.

After these parts have been removed the hooks 25 may be disengaged from the eyes 7 26 and the sides of the booth swunginwardly against the back of the front. The panels 7 18 which are folded against the upper panel 10' are preferably of such width as to meet "I whenfolded. The folded upper panels may then be swung downward upon the front panel 10 and the lower side panels 18 then ifoldedin against'the rear side of the front panel lO whereby a flat and compact structureis had. The counter sections 27 may be folded and slipped in between theupper panel 10' and one of the side upper panels 18f; while the two side counter sections 28 Y may he slipped between theother side panels andith e panel 10" as is shown in i igs. 5 and 6.

iTheshelf 35 may be slipped in between the tops of the panels 18 and the support 17,

very.

iaoaseo and the latter swung outwardly and fastened to the panels 18 by means ofthehooks 25.

The counter sections are then placed in position and the shelf 35 inserted. Thi's'can all be done in a remarkably short time and by the average person without assistance of a skilled mechanic. are required. 7

Various changes may be made in the dimensionsand construction of the booth without departing from spirit of the invention. What 1 claim, is: y i I y 1. In a folding booth, at lower front panel having side panels hinged thereto, an upper front panel hinged to the lower front panel and having upper side panelshinged thereto adapted to register witli tlie side panels of thelower front panels, the upperfront panel being arrangedto fold downwardly against the lower front panel, a'removable counter mounted on the lower panels, anda'removable shelf supported within the lower panels. 2. In a folding booth, a lower front-panel including upright strips disposednear the vertical edges thereof, an upper front panel including upright strips disposed near the vertical edges thereof and hinged to the upagainst the lower panel, lower side panels having upright strips at their front and rear vertical edges, the forward stripsflof the lower side panels being hinged'to the strips of the lower side panels are adapted to be folded upon the lower front panel, upper side panels having upright strips at their forward and rear ver- No extra fastenings or supports front panel so that the lower ioo tical edges, the forward strips of the upper side panels being hinged to the forwardstrips of theupper front panel so that thefupper side panels may fold inwardly againstthe upper front panel,means for connecting the lower ends of therear'strips of the upper side upper ends of the rear-strips" panels with the of the lower side panels, a front counter adapted for arrangement above the lower front panel to be supported thereby and having its ends'mitered and provided in such mitered ends with notches to receive the up right strips of the said lower front panel, side counters adapted to be arranged above the lower. side panels and havingtheirfforward ends mitered, said sid'e panels being provided in their forward and rear ends with notches to receive the forward and rear strips of the lower side panels.

3. In a. folding booth, a lower front panel having side panels hinged thereto, an upper open front panel hinged to the lower front panel and having upper open side panels hinged thereto adapted to register with the side panels of the lower front panel, the upper'front panel being arranged to fold downwardly against the lower front panel, and a removable counter mounted on the lower panels within the openings of the upper front and side panels.

4. In a folding booth, upright front strips hinged together at their ends so that they may be folded longitudinally upon each other, upper and lower panels carried. by the strips, the upper panel being spaced from the lower panel to provide an opening, upright side strips hinged to the front strips to fold transversely thereof, upper and lower side panels carried by the side strips, the upper side panels being spaced from the ower side panels to provide openings, upright rear strips supporting the side panels, means for fastening the rear strips together" near their inner ends, and said side panels being adapted to fold inwardly against the front panel and the front panels being arranged to fold downwardly upon each other, and removable counter sections arranged upon'thelower panels within the openings between the I I upper and lower panels,

5. In a folding booth, a lower front panel,

an upper front panel hinged at its lower end from the top ofthe lower'front panel and adapted to swing longitudinally of the connecting the inner ends of the rear portions of the upper and lowerside panels, and a counter mounted upon the lower front panel within the opening between the upper and lower front panels and being adapted to be removed from such opening.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. I

CHARLES J. DE LA FONTAINE; 

